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Thursday, March 06, 2008

Salade Composee

When PB readers ask me where to eat in Paris I immediately think ofRestaurant yaourt and Restaurant Salade Composee. You can pretty much depend on getting an excellent salad at most cafes.Jette had this salmon salad at Cafe Journaux on on rue Rambuteau , 75003 in the Marais.And M. had this salade composee. But what is it? Julia Child says, "A handsomely arranged combination salad can be the solution for what to serve at an informal spur-of-the-moment meal. The trick is to toss all of the elements separately in vinaigrette, letting some marinate for 10-20 minutes if they need to take on flavor.

Then arrange your work of art, each part of it is perfectly seasoned."Salad composee at most museum cafes is a work of art and tasty to boot. My salade at Musee Jacquemart-Andre. Just be sure to get a seat early! Like by 11:30. The line is horrendous:(

And a Thai prawn salad at the Musee Guimet cafe.

A salade Nicoise at the Salon du Chocolat, because a girl needs to cleanse her palate after multi lashings of 70% chocolate.

I thought this salad "shake" in Switzerland looked intriguing.My sister just got back from Paris on Sunday."How was the dollar?" I asked, since I'm leaving in a week and a half.A low moan came through the phone."Horriblemente!""TAKE PROVISIONS!", she said"Provisions?""What?" says moi."Yes. Take smoked salmon, sardines.TAKE APPLES!""OK" says moi

Wouldn't you just know I got this email fromFauchon today.This is NOT what I will be eating in Paris -

Fauchon diamond Easter eggs, but I'll be doing plenty of looking and shooting, unless they arrest me - then I get to eat free French prison food.Eats, Shoots and Runs

Just forget the "Eats" part of the equation.

I think I'll be able to afford a l'eau mineral at Cafe Le Select..well I hope so.If you care about PB, SEND APPLES VITE!

I just heard a very interesting thing on NPR yesterday, that you should try while in Paris.A researcer said "taste" is actually all about "smell."When you're eating that apple, just hold some chocolate under your nose, and except for the texture, your apple will taste like (yummy!) chocolate.Who says you can't smell your dessert...and eat it, too!?...or whatever.

I love salade composee! Last summer in Paris I bought a bagful of veggies from the organic market and made the most incredible salads. And as a quasi-vegetarian, they're the best thing on the menu. The Cafe Jacquemart-Andre is sooooooooo yummy, especially the desserts! Yum! Can't wait to go back! Down dollar, down!

YUMMY!!! Love these. Still chuckling over the chocolate under the nose and apple switch trick...not that I will try that in a bit...no not me, she says walking toward the apples with Ghiradelli chips in hand...I like salads, love composed ones, especially with artichokes marinated... but I don't like to make them..help!!! Any tricks for that?All best, Jan

Would it help to light a candle for the Dollar? That exchange rate is the worst part of living in Europe on Dollars.

The bakeries here make excellent sandwiches for around 3 Euros. Well, you know where to hitch a hike to, in case, do you? ;-)

(I lost my wallet the other evening, well, lost, let's just say I had it at the supermarket, and then it was gone. I had just loaded up at the bank, 200 Euros and then 40 for stopping the Visa card. Somebody had a good day).

-Oh MERISI!!! I was feeling so bad tallying up last trip's expense (for taxes of course). But that's nothing to having it taken from you before you have a chance to fritter it away. And you have so many goodies there to fritter away on...

-Cassoulet Cafe said - TAKE APPLES and stuff with you..peanuts SOMETHING!

-Janice, I do think no one can make a salad like the French. Did they invent them? Probably!

Well, I agree the orange salad sounds perfectly awful, but I like that 60s psychedelic presentation! As for your sister's advice about food....was she adopted? Her taste seems rather unlike yours....I will send you the BEST lentil soup recipe ever, and don't tell anyone, but it is healthy, to!

Mmmm... I've printed the salad photos and now I know what my lunch will be for the next week. Yes, there are seven different and delicious meals.

Paris is certainly one of the cities where you get real value for your money at lunchtime (as long as you avoid the ultra-expensive restaurants) but there are a myriad of excellent and affordable places for a good midday meal!

ParisBreakfast Letters

♥carol gillott♥

l'Ile Saint Louis, Paris, Ile de France, France

Hi I'm Carol Gillott,
My Mom taught me watercolors at 5. I'm still at it but now tripping over cobblestones on l'Ile Saint-Louis In Paris. Savor Parisbreakfast with a hot chocolate and croissant.
I paint Paris dreams.